Describing herself in one sentence, Sergeant Corey Sebera states, “I'm a wife, a mom and a public safety sergeant.”

Sgt. Sebera started her career in law enforcement as a corrections officer before joining Centra Health Public Safety as a security officer. She soon delved deeper into the world of law enforcement by taking on the role of deputy and finishing police academy training at the Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (CVCJA). Sgt. Sebera then rejoined Centra Health Public Safety as a Public Safety Sergeant and Special Conservator of Peace, which permits her police authority on private property.

Sgt. Sebera is Virginia Gang Investigators Association (VGIA) certified, Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) certified, and a certified Glock Armorer.

In her current role, Sgt. Sebera leads public safety operations at Lynchburg General Hospital and Virginia Baptist Hospital, where she directs a team of six officers. As her department moves forward with more advanced training, shifting from a security department to a public safety department with certified officers possessing police authority, she has been working with other ranking members to construct a curriculum and create standard operating procedures in order to move forward with department-wide change.

“I’ve also held classes for officers and created curriculum in the subjects of narcotics, gangs, court and arrest processes, and Fourth amendment/search and seizure processes,” Sgt. Sebera says.

Creating and delivering these instructional training materials has allowed Sgt. Sebera to engage in a form of mentorship, which she considers a fulfilling experience.

“I've enjoyed being able to mentor and train new officers to help them advance in their careers.” She reflects, “I think remembering where you came from is always important so that you can advocate for your officers.”

Challenges Lead To Accomplishments

Every career has its moments of difficulty and triumph. For Sgt. Sebera, these moments are deeply personal.

“There have been many times in my career where I’ve become doubtful of myself and my leadership abilities,” Sgt. Sebera remarks. “As a sergeant, I have asked myself, ‘Am I able to lead well in a male-dominated field? Am I doing what’s best for my team? Am I doing what’s best for my family?’”

Confronting these challenges isn’t easy, but Sgt. Sebera rose to the challenge. It required her to look inward, build her self-esteem and remember why she joined in this line of work.

She states, “Being in this dangerous line of work, there have been times where I’ve had to pick my boots up and hold my head up high. I’ve had to remember who I am, what I have accomplished, and what my abilities are. I also know that you must do what you love in life, or you will be miserable. I love what I do, who I lead, and how far I have come in this career. I have support, encouragement, confidence and heart. And those are the things that matter.”

While career challenges may be emotionally-taxing to overcome, many can result in the greatest career accomplishments. Sgt. Sebera reflects on her greatest professional accomplishment thus far: her promotion to Sergeant.

“I hit a low in my law enforcement career back in 2022,” Sgt. Sebera remembers. “My wife had health problems and my career as a Deputy took its toll on our family during that year. I left my role as a Deputy Sheriff to become a public safety officer again. I felt that I went back several steps after progressing my career earlier that year.”

Although Sgt. Sebera had felt her career path was knocked backward, she didn’t allow that setback to be the end of the story. After a mere nine months into her return to Centra Health Public Safety, Sgt. Sebera was promoted to Sergeant.

“Everything that I worked hard on in my career came back full circle with being promoted to Sergeant, being able to lead, and providing even better for my family going back to the private sector,” she recalls. “I am thankful for this career opportunity and am looking forward to our department’s future and my career path.”

Advice for Aspiring Officers

“I would encourage new officers to be teachable and engage in any possible training or certification you can find. Always move forward and up when you can,” Sgt. Sebera advises. “Security careers can be limited depending on the agency. Do not be afraid to explore better training and opportunities as an individual to help build your career, confidence and make you a well-rounded asset to your department. Also, hold your head up and maintain professionalism in every incident and encounter so that you can build a great reputation among your department and other agencies. You would be surprised at how many people and other agencies are watching you and your demeanor as an officer. Professionalism, confidence and being well-rounded are keys to being successful in this line of work.”